The ABC's of Varicose Veins

At Physician’s Vascular Services, we understand that most of us take our legs for granted. But the fact is they carry us through every step of our days; work, home and play. The health of our legs is directly connected to the quality of our lives. This web page will walk you through the A, B, C’s of understanding causes, symptoms and treatments.

Are you suffering from leg pain, swelling, itching or leg ulcers? Have these conditions gotten so bad that they are affecting your quality of life? If so, you’re not alone. Over 25 million Americans share the same problem and wait until it is too late, allowing the condition to worsen over time. Don’t let that happen to you! We ask you to review the information on this page, call us and take the first step to feeling better.

About Physician's Vascular Services

Physician’s Vascular Services is one of the fastest growing vein care clinics in west Texas. With 3 practices on the west, central and far east sides, we specialize in the treatment venous reflux, the disease that causes varicose veins and other serious conditions. Our Medical Director, Dr. Joseph B. Furlong, is an Interventional Radiologist and a leading expert in the treatment of venous reflux disease. Having performed over 6,000 successful procedures and counting, Dr. Furlong and his team of professionals can help diagnose and treat your vascular health issues.

Causes and Symptoms

In healthy leg veins, valves carry blood from the extremities back to the heart. Sometimes these valves weaken or fail, causing a condition called venous reflux disease or chronic venous insufficiency. When this happens, the blood ceases to move steadily upwards and can pool or even reverse course, resulting in the bulging and knotting of varicose veins. These veins are twisted, enlarged, and often dark blue in color. If left untreated, varicose veins get progressively worse and can ultimately lead to venous leg ulcers.

Symptoms include:

• Enlarged, bulging veins

• Burning or itching

• Bleeding

• Swelling

• Leg pain

• Tired, heavy legs

• Numbness

Certain factors put you at risk:

• Family history

• Age

• Gender (women are at a greater risk than men)

• Pregnancy

• Lifestyle

• Obesity

• Injury

Treatment Options

At Physician’s Vascular Services, we provide a variety of contemporary treatment options including:

Radio Frequency Ablation/Venefit Procedure
Under the trademark name Venefit™ Procedure, Radio Frequency (RF) ablation works by using a catheter to direct Radio Frequency energy into the vein walls. As a result, the damaged vein shuts down and the blood flow is redirected to healthier veins.

Endovenous Laser Treatment
As one of the leading new treatments for varicose veins, Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) is done under local anesthesia. Once the skin is numbed, laser energy is directed at the varicose vein using a laser fiber.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy
Varicose veins that are large and close to the surface of the skin often react well to ambulatory phlebectomy, a procedure in which the surgeon applies a local anesthetic and then makes a very small (1 mm) incision through which the diseased vein can be extracted.

Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is another popular treatment for spider veins. The sclerosing agent causes the vein to fragment, after which it is reabsorbed by the body. This minimally invasive procedure inflicts little if any discomfort or bruising.

UGS (Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy)
Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy uses a similar approach to normal sclerotherapy but deploys the additional technology of ultrasound imaging to locate damaged veins far below the surface of the skin. This enables your physician to ensure proper placement of the sclerotherapy devise even when the affected veins are beyond view.

Informational Video

This informational video will provide you with a better understanding of varicose veins and how at Physician’s Vascular Services we diagnose and treat our patients – to get them back to living.

Contact Us

Schedule Your Fast Track Vein Health Assessment Today

Determining your vein health is the first step in determining your personal vein treatment. This begins by “screening” your legs to look for any deeper venous problems. This procedure is quick, painless and non-invasive.

A Duplex Ultrasound is conducted to ultrasound images of the path, size and blood flow of affected veins that may not be visible to the naked eye. Afterwards, you will be consulted one-on-one by the Doctor regarding your vascular health, and guided through your treatment options. One of our doctors will also answer any of your personalized questions you may have at this point.

Call us today at 915-771-VEIN (8346) or http://elpasovein.com/contact-us to schedule your assessment.